New data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) has found that hospitalization rates for COVID-19 and other respiratory infections are still in the thousands, while vaccine rates drop.

Nearly 60,000 people were hospitalized in what the CIHI calls “vaccine-preventable respiratory hospitalizations” across Canada in 2024.

Influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) accounted for more than half of hospitalizations, while COVID-19 contributed to more than 40 per cent.

This number of hospitalizations is “significantly more for our hospitals to handle,” Melanie Josée Davidson, director for the health system performance team at CIHI, said.